Uniform feeder for granular material



y 1951 F. L. RUUNNINGER 2,554,796

UNIFORM FEEDER FOR GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed Jan. 27, 1947 i 2Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 3

FIG.2

FIG!

INVENTOR F. L. RUNNINGER A TTORNEV Patented May 29, 11 951 U FORM FEEDEOR GBA U AR MATERIAL Frederick L. Runninger, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor toIron Fireman Manufacturing Company,

lortland, O es,-

Application January 27, 1947,,S erial No. 724,5.3l

l Claims.

This invention relates generally to conveyors and feeders andparticularly to a feeder for granular material.

The main object of this invention is to provide a feeder by means ofwhich coal or other mate.- rial may be fed in a uniformly continuousstream past a given point.

The second object is to make it possible to maintain a non-fluctuatingfeeding rate for material being discharged from a worm or screwtype ofconveyor.

I accomplish these and other objects in a manner set forth in thefollowing specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the discharge end of a worm conveyor witha portion broken away in longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1, showing the apertures partiallyclosed.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the apertures opened.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the unit, showing the relation of thevarious parts.

Fig. 5 is a collective view of the various parts in their order ofassembly.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a common form ofhopper I!) having at its outlet end a clean-out housing ll provided witha removable gate l2 which is normally held in position by a screw I3which is operated by the hand wheel l4. Flanged to the housing II is acoal tube I5 within which is, revolvably mounted, a coal feeding worm l6by means of which coal I1 is drawn from the hopper I0 and delivered tothe transfer hOllSiIlg I8 such as commonly used in connection withpneumatically fed stokers commonly referred to as the spreader type.

Referring particularly to my invention, same will be seen to consist ofa sleeve II] which is mounted on the reduced end 20 of the worm shaft2|.

On the sleeve I9 is formed a disk 22 having the apertures 23 formedtherein.

Rotatably mounted on the sleeve I9 is a control disk 24 having thespokes 25 projecting therefrom, which spokes constitute closures for theopenings 23. Each spoke 25 has formed, along one edge, the inclinedblade 26. One of the spokes 2 5 has disposed thereon, a rivet head 21,which receives the hook -28 of the helical spring 29 which encircles thesleeve I9. The end 30 of the spring '29 is outturned to enter an opening3| in the collar -32 which can be secured to the sleeve I9 by means ofthe set screw 33.

It will be noted that the blades 26 project through the openings 2-3into the space around the flight of theworm I6. The operation of thedevice is as follows: Assuming that the coal I! is to be discharged intothe transfer housing 18 and that this coal is being fed from the hopperII] by means of the worm I6, it follows that the outlet of the tube [5has been closed by means of the disk 22, whose apertures 23 are closedby the spokes 25 under the urging of the spring 29.

As the tube I5 fills up and pressure is exerted against the blades 26,they cause a partial rotation of the disk 24 in an opening direction,permitting coal to pass through the openings 23 and fall into thetransfer housing I8.

It will be noted that by this construction, the feeding will not beintermittent but will be always continuous since the coal tube IE willnormally be full at its discharge end as long as there is coal in thefeeder.

It can be seen that the loose material I'I being conveyed to the worm I6is forced against the bent ends 26 of the shutter or disk 26. These bentsections are inclined in the direction of rotation of the worm I6 sothat as the shutter disk 24 rotates, it tends to dig into the loosematerial being discharged from the end of the feed worm. The thrust ofthe material I! against the members 26 causes them to rotate in relationto the feed worm just sufiiciently to discharge the amount of materialconveyed to it by the feed worm.

The spring 29 tends to close the shutter disk 24 against the flow ofmaterial. The amount of pressure developed between the end of the feedworm and the disk 22 can be regulated by adjusting the amount of torsionof the spring 29.

It can readily be seen that with this device the conveyor worm builds upa pressure behind the disk 22 and the material is discharged through thedisk 22 in a non-fluctuating manner, in accordance with the amount ofmaterial delivered to it by the worm. Without this unifeed device,

3 the discharge rate of material from the worm would vary from a maximumto a minimum in each revolution of the worm, depending upon the relativeposition of the worm flight.

I am aware that numerous forms of feeders have been constructed in thepast. It is, therefore, not my intention to cover such devices broadly,but I do intend to cover such forms and modifications thereof as fallfairly within the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tubular conveyor for granular material, in combination with aconveying screw within said tube, a perforated disk forming a closurefor said tube, said disk having a shutter plate for said openings andmeans tending to uncover wings on said shutter plate projecting throughsaid perforated disk into the tube section of the conveyor and extendingin the direction of rotation of the feed worm and a torsion springbetween said perforated plate and wings adapted to urge said wingmembers to obstruct the openings in said perforated plate.

5. The combination of a coal conveying tube having a coal conveyingscrew mounted therein with a perforated disk forming the end of saidscrew and revolvable therewith, a shutter mounted on said diskrevolvable with relation to said disk, said shutter having wings thereonprojecting through the disk openings inclined in the direction of theworm of said feeding device and an adjustable spring for urging saidshutter toward a closing position.

FREDERICK L. RUNNINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 539,325 Zedler et a1 May 14, 18951,264,601 Bernert Apr. 30, 1918 1,315,719 Grindle Sept. 9, 19191,498,776 Bernert June 24, 1924 1,545,230 Bernert July 7, 1925 1,675,090Burns et al June 26, 1928 1,831,561 Harris Nov. 10, 1931 1,917,827 CloosJuly 11, 1933 1,959,864 Hartley May 22, 1934

